Hearts and Crocodiles
by ellargibbs
Summary: First chapter is a rework of the hospital scene where Emma confronts Hook about Cora (in 'In the Name of the Brother')... Emma comes to a shocking realization and Hook knows just how she feels.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: These are not my characters and I intend no harm or infringement in any way.**

**A/N: This is the scene when Emma confronts Hook in the hospital after he's been hit by the car. He's in bad shape and cuffed to the bed and hookless. This is an idea I've been pondering for a while and I've been wondering if Emma would ever realize this (read on) and what the ramifications of her epiphany would be. **

"Ahh, hello, Beautiful." Hook drawled with a sleepy smile curling his lips. Emma was standing over his hospital bed, looking down at him. He was in rough shape. Between the car and Gold, he'd be stuck there at least a couple of days. "Could I have some water?"

Emma plunked down on the side of his bed and reached for the cup of ice water on the bedside table. Her movements jostled him, eliciting a wince. He hated breaking ribs.

"Where's Cora?" Direct and to the point. She had no time for Hook's games.

"It's nice to see you again too, Lass." he smirked. He took the plastic cup from her and took a thirsty gulp. Her warning glare told him that she meant business. "I've no idea, Love." He could see she was waging an internal battle to trust his words, a frown forming on her pretty face. "I'm here for my crocodile. Nothing more. Cora has her own business. We parted ways upon arriving in this land."

"How did you get here?" she believed him. She knew when a person was lying to her, and Hook seemed genuine.

"Aboard my ship, the Jolly Rodger... by way of _magic bean_." As the words rolled off his tongue Emma's mind flashed to the image of the shriveled bean Hook had taken from the giant. Cora must have had a way to make it work.

"Why?" she breathed, "Why come all this way?"

"It's a land without magic, Love, I'm finally going to skin my crocodile, now that we're on an _equal_ playing field."

"Gold has as much magic as ever. When I broke the curse he brought it here. Hook..." she trailed off, implying what he knew to be true, his attempts at revenge would be the end of him. Gold would undoubtedly win.

"The bloody coward!" Hook shouted. He immediately regretted it, feeling the strain his outburst had caused his cracked ribs.

"Shhhh, hey... It's okay..." Emma tried her best to soothe him, standing and laying her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to calm him down.

"Emma, " he growled, " I watched my lover die in my arms. When he crushed her heart in his coward's hand I watched as she dropped, heard the horrible sound she made as she fell. He killed her in cold blood. I held her in my arms as the life left her eyes, you've no idea what that's like!"

Emma's heart had stopped. Her blood ran cold.

"_Graham_." it was just barely a breath.

"What's that, Lass?" He could see he'd upset her. Her eyes were unfocused and her hands were trembling.

"Regina." she spurted. Slightly above a whisper.

"The queen? I don't understand, Love, you'll have to give me more than that..."

Her legs gave way beneath her and she sat crumpled on the floor.

"Graham." she said again, bringing her shaking hand to her mouth. Hot tears stung in her eyes. "He remembered. It was true. All along. I didn't believe him. She _did_ have his heart... and she..." Emma was muttering to herself on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks while a puzzled and concerned Hook looked down at her.

"Emma!" his voice shook her from her stupor. She looked at him and then at her surroundings, realizing where she was.

"I know." she whispered to him, pushing herself up off of the floor.

"You know...?" he squinted his eyes at her, she was impossible to read at that moment. She reached down and grabbed his hand, holding it between her own and rubbing it with her thumb. The frown on her face had deepened and her brow was heavily furrowed. Her breathing was slightly ragged and her eyes still had tears threatening to fall.

"His name was Graham." she whispered without looking at his face, her eyes concentrated on their joined hands. He understood. "And Regina killed him." He squeezed her hands back, trying to console her. She was quite obviously in shock.

"I mean... She wasn't there, but I _know_... It happened before the curse was broken and I still didn't believe. Graham... Before he died he tried to tell me. He told me she had his heart... and I didn't believe him." her voice caught and while stiffing a sob, she whimpered, "He died in my arms."

Hook wanted nothing more than to console her, wipe the tears away from her cheeks and tuck the hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear, but he was restrained and his hook was God knows where. So he just shushed at her and gently rubbed her hands with his thumb. She startled him by abruptly stepping back. The confused Hook just stared at her. In a few quick strides she was at the door.

"Wait! Where are you going, Lass?" he called to her. She turned back to face him. There was fire in her eyes.

"I've got my own crocodile to skin."

**A/N: I know it was quick, but there is more to come. Let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

Emma checked her watch as she burst through the hospital doors. It was five after three. If she hurried, she could catch Regina at David and Mary Margaret's where she would be picking up Henry. _Henry_. Emma hadn't even considered what this would mean for him. But she couldn't think about that right now. At that moment there was a poison eating at her heart, clouding her judgment. That poison's name was _vengeance_.

She exploded through the door and Mary Margaret rushed to her, concerned, "Emma, what's wrong?"

"Is she here?" Emma practically growled the words.

"Who...? Regina? She's upstairs getting Henry ready to go." Mary Margaret's voice held a soothing tone, her eyes searched Emma's face for any indication of what was going on.

"REGINAAA!" Emma howled the name. Mary Margaret could hear the anger in her voice. She approached Emma to try to calm her down but Regina had just made it to the bottom of the stairs. Emma sprung into action. She grabbed Regina with two hands by the collar of her shirt, hauling her down the last two steps. She whirled around and threw her against the wall, never loosening her fisted grip on the woman's blouse. In a flash Emma was blasted back, held in place by magic but still able to speak.

"How could you do it?! You _loved_ him too!" Her rage was slowly devolving.

"Who?" Regina asked, approaching her, genuine concern crinkling her brow, "Henry?"

"_GRAHAM!_" Emma roared. Regina instantly stilled. A wave of guilt and sadness washed over her face. Mary Margaret gasped and covered her mouth with a trembling hand.

"He chose you." she whispered, barely audible.

"And if _Henry_ decided to choose me?!" Emma spat, "Would you kill him too?!" Regina was lost for words. Then a shaky voice came from the bottom of the stairs.

"Mom...?"

Regina turned, "Henry." Emma dropped to the floor, no longer held by the spell.

"You were using magic." the disappointment in his voice tore at Regina's heart.

"Henry," Regina looked at her son with sad apologetic eyes, "she attacked me."

"Is that true?" his eyes flashed to Emma and then back to Regina.

"Tell him _why_." Emma hissed from the floor, the spell had drained her of most of her energy. Henry turned his eyes back to Regina, asking the silent question. Regina lowered her eyes.

"Because I am the reason Sheriff Graham is dead." she said in the quietest of voices.

"You're the... but I thought Graham had a heart attack... How did you...?" Henry's face seemed to crumple, "You had his heart."

"Henry, I am _so_ sorry... I" Regina approached him but he quickly turned around and sprinted up the stairs to his room, slamming the door. Regina turned on Emma.

"Look what you've done." she hissed, there were even tears in her eyes.

"Regina you did this _all_ by yourself." Emma growled, climbing to her feet. Regina stormed out, slamming the door behind her. When she'd gone, Mary Margaret rushed to Emma who had fallen back to the floor, sobbing.  
"Oh, Emma." She pulled her close and stroked her hair. After a moment, Emma pulled herself to her feet and climbed the stairs to Henry.

He was sitting on his bed with the story book in his lap. He was looking at Snow White's story, at the part about the huntsman. His eyes were filled with tears but he took care not to let any spill on the precious pages.

"Hey, Kid." She approached him, sitting down on the side of his bed. She frowned at him as she wiped her tear soaked cheeks again. "I'm sorry you found out like that. But when I figured it out... I just got so... _angry_. I wanted her to admit to it. I wanted her to pay for what she did."

"Please don't go after her, Emma." Henry pleaded. Though she wasn't sure what kind of reaction to expect from him, that was certainly not it.

"Henry..." She attempted to reason with him, but he cut her off.

"No! You can't! She is still my mom! And she is way too powerful for you to face. You have to promise me you won't go after her. You won't try to hurt her. I _know_ she's been trying to be better. Please..."

The blackness that had swallowed up her heart that afternoon had dissipated. Her sweet son was begging her, both to save Regina and herself. He didn't want to see either of them get hurt and Emma realized that her revenge on Regina would only cost her Henry in to long run. Could he look at her the same way if she stooped to that level? She was supposed to be the _Savior_, not the destructor.

"I promise." she breathed. He set the book aside and crawled up beside her and into her arms, finally allowing the tears to stream down his cheeks. "It's okay, Kid... I miss him too..." She soothed and rubbed his back as both sat and cried over a friend long gone.

~o~

Hook was surprised to see her return to his room that evening. She looked worn out, dragging her feet ever so slightly. In her hands was a brown paper bag. She came to sit at the edge of his bed.

"Did you get your crocodile, Love?" Emma shook her head.

"And I never will." she sighed.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the keys to his restraints. She loosened them, setting him free. Hook couldn't help but breathe in the scent of her as she reached across his body to free his left wrist. Before he could ask she pulled his hook from the brown paper bag and laid it gently in his hand. A stray tear had begun its course down her soft cheek and this time he was more than able to wipe it away.

His bed was in an almost upright, seated position so it wasn't far for her to lean down into his arms and not a strain on his ribs to hold her there. She cried softly on his shoulder.

"What happened, Love?" he whispered against her hair. His good hand was gently rubbing up and down her back.

"Henry." she sighed. "Regina raised him. He loves her. No matter what she's done, he can find room in his heart to forgive her. If I hurt her it'll destroy him. I'll lose him. Not to mention I would probably die trying. And what if he got hurt?"

"So you're giving up?" he asked.

"No," she corrected, "I'm moving on. I have to. I have too much to lose."

"Ahh, you see, Love, that's where you and I differ. I've got _nothing_ to lose." But he was becoming more and more aware that this was not entirely true anymore. The devastated woman in his arms was a testament to that.

**A/N: I hope you're liking this! I'm loving all the notifications I'm getting! :) Let me know what you think!**

**Also! I have something to share. **

**Upon rewatching In the Name of the Brother I realized something. The ringtone of "Her" who keeps calling "the outsider" is from Star Wars. The first time I watched it, I thought, "huh, cool, Star Wars ringtone." Second time I'm watching it, I realize that Disney now owns Star Wars... WHO IS COMING TO STORY BROOKE!? Did anyone else make this connection!?**


	3. Chapter 3

She awoke with a start, completely disoriented and confused by her surroundings. She turned her head to the left to find that she was in the arms of none other than Killian Jones – Captain Hook. Her heart raced. She didn't remember falling asleep. She could tell by the light filtering through the blinds that it was early morning. The pirate was still sleeping peacefully beside her. As carefully as she could she slipped out of his embrace and off of the bed. She was almost clear but his blasted hook got caught in one of her belt loops, tugging his arm and jarring him awake.

"Sneaking off were ya, Love" he was groggy but knew that she was trying to make a run for it.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep." she began, shaking her head, "I'm really sorry about last night. I shouldn't have come here, and I certainly shouldn't have cried on _your_ shoulder."

"And why's that, Love?" she hadn't meant to insult him, but she had.

"Oh," she fumbled for words, "well, I barely know you... and you've got your own problems, you probably didn't need to hear about mine."

"Did I complain?" he probed.

She was taken aback. _No, he hadn't._ In fact he welcomed her into his arms and comforted her. He could have easily – and rightfully so – turned her away. But he didn't. _Why?_ She was confused. Her head was swimming with way too many thoughts. Without really focusing her eyes on anything, she turned and walked out of the room. From her trance she could vaguely hear him calling after her.

~o~

When she got home she kicked off her boots and climbed the stairs to Henry's room. She eased the door open and watched him in his peaceful sleep. Since she and Mary Margaret had returned home he hadn't had any trouble with the burning room. Emma worried that all of this chaos uprooting his life was causing him to grow up too fast – much the way she had. Quietly she snuck back down the stairs.

Mary Margaret was standing in the kitchen over a cup of tea.

"We were worried about you. I told Henry that you were working late... Where were you?"

"I just... fell asleep. At the station." She lied. Technically she had been working. Freeing Killian and returning his hook was police business, but Mary Margaret had had David check the station and she knew Emma was lying.

"How _are_ you?" her words carried that new-found motherly tone.

"I'm fine." Emma answered, too quickly.

"What are you going to do about Regina?" her question was hesitant, but she had to ask.

"Nothing. Anything I do will cost me Henry in the long run. He says she's trying to be better. Graham isn't the only heart she's crushed," her voice caught at the description, "but he'll hopefully be the last."

Mary Margaret smiled, "I am so proud of you." She walked to Emma and wrapped her in a tight hug. Emma smelled like a man, which one, Mary Margaret couldn't be sure, but she had to trust that Emma would tell her when the time was right. After the shared moment, Emma broke free of the hug and told her mother that she was heading to bed for a couple hours. Regina's spell had really taken a lot out of her.

~o~

All that day she avoided the hospital. The outsider was recovering nicely, she confirmed by phone call to Dr. Whale and she convinced herself that she had no other reason to go there. She buried herself in the paperwork that had accumulated since her departure. David had a keen sense for right and wrong, but not so much for her filing system.

The next morning she woke early and decided to have breakfast at Granny's. Ruby served her a generous stack of pancakes. The diner was pretty busy for the early hour, the chatter of familiar voices was soothing to Emma, even if she didn't listen to the words they were saying.

The bell over the door alerted the entrance of a new customer and almost instantly the crowd went silent. He was dressed in his pirate garb. On the white of his shirt there were visible blood stains and when he walked he had an obvious limp. He approached the counter beside Emma and sat on the stool next to her. He didn't look at her, only asked Ruby for some breakfast.

They sat and ate in silence while the other patrons kept their conversations hushed. When he was done, Hook pulled out a bag of gold coins to pay Ruby.

"Those aren't good here." she said calmly. She recognized them, coins from their land, "You can wash dishes out back if you can't afford to..."

"I've got it, Ruby." Emma stepped in, paying for both her meal and Hook's. When she left the diner he followed her.

"I'm sorry." she offered, not looking at him.

"For _what_, Lass? Spending the night, or walking away?" he challenged.

"Both." she blinked. But she wasn't sure... "Mostly for walking away." That brought the smile back to his lips.

"Do you have any other clothes?" she asked, noting his disheveled appearance.

"Aye, Lass. But I haven't been back to my ship yet."

"Where is it? I would assume a ship as _majestic_ as yours would not easily go unnoticed, particularly by the sheriff. How long have you been here?"

"We arrived just shortly after you, I presume." there it was. The 'we' that would be the constant reminder that he had travelled here with _Cora_. He had sided with _her_, proving to Emma that he couldn't be trusted. Hook noticed the change in her body language and decided to remind her just who had betrayed whom.

"I said that I would swear allegiance to the first person to get me to Story Brooke. You had that same chance... But the deal expired once we docked. I have no loyalties or commitments besides the one I made with my crocodile all those years ago." She could see in his eyes that he wanted her to know that he had cut ties with Cora and she desperately wanted to believe him.

"Now," he extended his hand, breaking the tension, "come and see my ship!"

**A/N: I want to thank everyone for the reviews/follows/favourites! I love to hear what you think! I can't guarantee a speedy update because it's midterm season... I've also got another fanfic that I'm working on (it's Gilmore Girls if any of you were as obsessed with it as I was/am and want to check it out!)**

**R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Just reread my story and realized I totally left you hanging! Things get pretty steamy in this chapter (it's rated M for a reason), if you weren't looking for that kind of story, I apologize. For those of you who have been waiting for this... enjoy! I hope I didn't disappoint!**

He guided her to the docks, all the while Emma's eyes searched for the infamous Jolly Roger. He stopped and took a step out onto what appeared to be thin air. A few more steps and he had disappeared. Hook tugged on her hand and she stumbled forward, the ship coming into focus as she followed him aboard.

"It's beautiful." She breathed, taking in the fine carvings and majestic sails.

"Aye, Lass, that she is." Hook smirked at her admiration, "Would you care for a drink?"

"We just ate breakfast!" she exclaimed.

"Emma, I'm a pirate, it's never too early for rum." He explained as he opened up the doors to his captain's quarters.

It was dark, but he tossed open the drapes and lit a few lamps, casting a warm glow over the room. In the center stood a solid wood table with maps strewn across it, curling up at the edges. Built in cabinetry along the two side walls housed countless treasures, more maps and the rum and goblets which he had retrieved. Emma accepted the drink and raised the cup to hook in a silent toast. Her eyes wandered to his bed which lay under the back wall. It was built in, with curtain half closed, revealing messy linens and blankets where the captain _slept_. _Not only slept_, Emma thought to herself, finally taking a sip of the rum.

She sputtered and spat, Emma liked her liquor strong, but this was something else entirely. Hook chuckled and made his way to a bureau, bolted to the floorboards. His jacket was hanging off the back of one of the chairs, he must have taken that off when Emma was still taking in the room. Now he was turned away from her, working at the laces of his leather vest. He tosses it to the bed and the painfully pulled the loose, bloodied shirt over his head.

His back was muscled, Emma couldn't help but notice – couldn't help but stare, really. He pulled a new shirt out of his drawer and walked back to her. The light danced across his skin and her eyes spent as much time taking him in as she had his room. He had many scars, ragged and smooth lines decorated his skin. He watched her watching him.

"I don't have to put it back on, Love." he offered. Startled and waking from her trance she stared at his face, her defensive glare beginning to take hold of her features, but in seeing his expression, her aggression faded. What she saw in his face was something she was only beginning to recognize. She got the same look from Henry, and Mary Margaret and Ruby. He _cared_ for her. Unsure of how to respond, she turned away – she was good at that. Gathering her thoughts she gulped down the cup of rum, grimacing at the taste, but glad to feel it. She turned back to him and he was right behind her, shirt on and looking at her with concern.

"It was just a joke, Lass" he soothed. "What's the matter?"

She shook her head, but with a stern look he coaxed an answer out of her.

"If you go after Gold – Rumplestiltskin – there's no way you could..." she trailed off but he knew where she was going.

"I've told you, Lass, I've got nothing to lose" but even saying the words he knew he never wanted to lose _her_.

"It's not about what you would lose!" she snapped, then looked down at the floor, "it's what losing you would mean to me."

She said it. The words he needed to hear. She was the great saviour and he was a lowly pirate, but she cared for him, he could see it in her eyes and now he heard it in her words. In one quick stride he closed the distance between them and pulled her into his kiss, wrapping his hooked arm around her waist and cradling her face in his hand. She softened into his body and wrapped her arms up around his neck. Their kisses became more impassioned, both hungry for more, but he was the one to pull back.

She stared up at him in shock and confusion. He searched for words but nothing came out. A look of hurt washed over her face as she retreated towards the door. She was almost through it when the hook around her wrist pulled her to a stop. He pulled her gently back inside and pressed her up against the wall, his forehead resting on hers, eyes looking straight into her soul.

"I..." he struggled to start, "I don't want to hurt you." She stared straight back at him and waited for him to continue.

"I know you've been hurt before, that's why you left me on that bloody beanstalk. You know I want my revenge. I can try to move on, like you. But I'll need your help." He brought his lips down to hers for a gentle kiss and a tear slipped down her cheek.

"Can you do that, Love?"

She nodded and met his lips with hers again, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist when the kisses grew deeper. He groaned at the strain on his still broken body, so she eased her legs down and broke the kiss to take him by the hand and lead him to the bed.

When he drew the curtains closed behind them it was dark, but their mouths found each other once again. Hands began to roam and Hook let out a groan and his hand slid over and cupped Emma's ass. Her pants were very tight and he loved watching her walk in them, now he got to feel her. His hand moved next under the fabric of her shirt, he'd already pushed her jacket off of her shoulders. His mouth moved down her neck and the kissed a path up her belly as his hand pushed the fabric out of the way. She had another garment enclosing her breasts and in the faint light he appraised it. Her breasts were glorious but wanted to be closer and had no idea how to get into the strange corset. Smiling at his struggle, she reached a hand behind her back and unclasped the bra, freeing her breasts and having them be immediately assaulted by his mouth, tongue and hand. She let out a moan as his actions caused her to arch her back, pressing her chest into his face, giving him full access to her throbbing, hardened nipples. His next mission was her pants, but first she had him take his shirt off.

She ran her hands over his bare skin, new bruises and old scars. She kissed his mouth and his hands fumbled at her waistband. Again she took control, unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans. He wasted no time in pulling them down and off her legs and wasted not a second in burying his face between her legs. Her cry of surprise quickly turned into cries of pleasure as his tongue and fingers coaxed her to her peak. While one hand gripped the sheets the other tangled deep in his hair, urging him on.

He could tell he had her teetering on the edge of her orgasm and his hand and hook retreated to free himself from the confines of his pants. She was practically begging him, whimpering and soaking wet when he plunged his length deep inside of her hot centre. The shock and size of him sent her over the edge, his name finally coming to her lips as she convulsed beneath him. _Killian_.

The sound of it broke his resolve to go take his time and he pounded his first few strokes into her before she'd had time to fully recover. He knew his body would be angry with him for all this movement, but he felt nothing but pleasure as he drove his throbbing erection into her ever tightening core and the sounds of her moans filled his cabin.

His peak approached as she ran her nails down his back, a soft squeaky moan escaping her lips with every thrust, she was getting close again and he tried to hold off but the tightening of her grip around his cock send him tumbling. He collapsed on top of her, spilling what he had inside of her and feeling the tremors of her second orgasm.

He rolled to the side, resting his head on her shoulder, listening to the pounding of her heart. She laced her fingers in his hair and played with it for a while.

"I won't leave you, Emma." He whispered to the darkness. Silent tears rolled down the sides of her face as she pulled him tighter against her and he wrapped his arms around her body. She believed him. She _trusted_ him.


End file.
